Portable humidifier unit



Feb 14, 196? Filed Sept. 28, 1964 J. A. PAASCHE PORTABLE HUMIDIFIER UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Feb. 14, 1967 J. A. PAASCHE 3,304,011

PORTABLE HUMIDIFIER UNIT Filed Sept. 28, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 JZ'Z 1 B SPRAY s'PRfl a/A/ J33 K GUM 46 J35 43 135 j Jfi SPRAY 1 i l4 DEODOR/ZER I United States Patent 3,304,011 PORTABLE HUMIDIFIER UNIT Jens A. Paasche, 1909 Diversey Parkway, Wilmette, Ill. 60091 Filed Sept. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 399,681 Claims. (Cl. 239-305) This invention relates to space humidification, and more particularly relates to a unique relatively self-contained and portable automatic spray humidifier unit to achieve and maintain a predetermined humidity in an area.

The problem The need for adequate space humidification for maintenance of health, prevention of colds and other respiratory ailments, and the avoidance of spontaneous combustion in dry and dusty work areas is generally well known.

To those persons afilicted with even minor respiratory ailments, the necessity for adequate home and oflice humidification is accentuated by their personal discomfort during Waking hours and their discomfort and inability to obtain adequate rest during sleeping hours. Employers, in addition to experiencing personal discomfort due to inadequate humidity, find their businesses severely handicapped at various times during the year due to employee absenteeism occasioned by colds to which the employees may be more susceptible without adequate humidification in their place of work.

In addition to such health problems, various industries find a continuous control of humidity essential to the production of and maintenance of high quality products.

In the textile industry, for instance, adequate humidification is especially desirable in the warehousing of fabrics to maintain the fabrics at their original luster and to avoid fabric deterioration and expensive losses due to a dry atmosphere. In the printing industry, humidity controls are of a great value in helping to keep Warehoused paper at a uniformly high original quality prior to printing and to ensure perfect registration during printing.

Objects of the invention Therefore, a general object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for achieving closely controlled space humidification.

Another object is to provide a relatively noiseless and self-contained humidification unit suitable for automatically achieving a particular predetermined space humidification and for automatically maintaining such humidication.

A further object is to provide an exceptionally com pact and readily portable automatic spray humidifier apparatus suitable for humidifying diverse spaces with an atomized spray of moistened air such that drops ofmoisture do not run or drip from the apparatus and such that liquid water is not projected from the apparatus.

A related object is to provide means in such an apparatus suitable for shutting off and starting the humidfying spray responsive to changes to humidity in the area from a predetermined humidity.

Another object is to provide multiple spray devices in such an apparatus suitable for instantaneously changing the humidification capacity of the apparatus and to simultaneously deodorize the spaces humidified.

Another object is to provide a relatively noiseless method for automatically humidifying and deodorizing spaces and for automatically maintaining the humidity of such spaces at a minimum of expense and without projecting liquid water particles into the space humidified.

Other objects relate to the specific structural arrangement of the unique exceptionally compact and readily portable automatic spray humidifier apparatus.

For the attainment of these and such other objects as may appear or be pointed out, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a humidification apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 8.

Detailed description of the invention Referring to the drawings, especially FIGS. 1 and 8 an automatic spray humidifier or humidification apparatus 18 embodying the principles of the present invention is shown having an air conditioner 20 to clean the air furnished to the humidifier, the air conditioner 20 serving as a base or mounting structure for the other components.

The automatic humidifier includes an air inlet 22, FIG. 5, connected to a source of air such as an air compressor, not shown, on one end and to an air valve 23 on its other end, valve 23 to open and close off theair supply leading to an air strainer 24 which strains or filters out any larger pieces of dirt or sediment which may be in the air supply to the unit, the air strainer being secured to and in communication with the air conditioner tank 20 which further cleans the air of all air impurities such as sand, rust particles, dust and the like.

After passing through the air conditioner 20, FIG. 1, the 'fiOW of air continues through an air regulator 26, secured to the tank, the regulator being connected to an air gage 28 having a dial 29 showing the pressure of air passing through the air regulator 26. The air then passes through an air valve 30 operated by solenoid 32 which is actuated by a humidistat 34 having a humidity dial 35 where the particular humidity desired may be set, the flow of air passing through air valve 30 continuing in the direction of the arrows, FIG. 2, through an air line 36 to an upper air manifold 38 leading to a spray deodorizer 40, FIG. 1, and automatic opening air brushes or atomizer spray guns 42, 43.

Means for furnishing water to the humidifier is provided and includes a water inlet 44 connected to a source of water, not shown, a water valve 46, a water strainer 48, a water gage 50, with water passing through the strainer 48 through a T connection 52 through water lines 54, 55 to spray gun 42.

Air conditioner tank 20, FIG. 1, comprises a generally cylindrical tank 56 having a base cap or closure 57 with drain valve 58. Base cap 57 has a substantially flat bottom 60 complementary to a support surface to serve as a stable base for the other components of a system.

The air conditioner 20 is adapted to attract any moisture, oil, or other foreign particles that might interfere with proper functioning of the several parts which affect the atomization of water from the atomizer spray heads 42, 43. At its upper end, FIGS. 2, 8, the air conditioner is closed by a top cap 62 having an air inlet opening 64 on its one side to permit entrance of air into the air conditioner tank, an air outlet opening 66 on the other side of the tank to permit the passage of air from the tank, and an upper support pipe or standard 70 supporting the various water components, that is, the water lines, water strainer, and water gage; and water lines leading to the atomizer heads or spray guns 42.

Air inlet 64, FIG. 8, on the air conditioner 20 is threaded internally for receipt of pipe 72 which is threaded externally on both ends, one end being connected to the air conditioner and the other end being connected to the air strainer 24.

Air strainer 24, FIG. 8, has a finely meshed screen 75, FIG. 10, through which the air must pass before entering the air conditioner tank, and is provided with a lower sediment nut 74 to clean out any accumulation of sediment removed from the air passing through the air strainer.

An air manifold assembly 80, FIGS. 8, 9, is secured to air conditioner tank 20 by a pipe 82 threadedly received into air outlet 66 in the top cap 62 of the air conditioner; and'the air manifold assembly 80 has an exit end 88 opening into a pipe 90 to permit a flow of air through the air manifold assembly to the air regulator 26. The air manifold assembly 84 also has a vertical pipe 92 secured within the assembly but not in communication with the flow of air from the air conditioner tank to the air regulator, the air manifold assembly thus serving as a support base or bracket for the pipe 92 and the atomizer guns and deodorizer mounted thereon.

Air regulator 26, FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, is provided with an air gage 28 having a dial face 29 for a direct reading of the air pressure of air passing through air regulator 26. The regulator 26 has an adjustment knob 96 where-by the air passing through the regulator may be adjusted, that is, cut down to a predetermined desired air pressure. In general, it has been found that at an air pressure of about forty pounds, good humidification results are achieved with the humidifier apparatus here described. Where the air pressure drops below 40 pounds, this may be an indication of sediment accumulation in the lines requiring cleaning of the various air lines or the air strainer. Air regulator 26 has a discharge end opening 98 with a pipe 100 threadedly inserted therein leading by suitable connections to air valve 30 for a flow of air through air valve 30.

Air valve 30 has an entrance end 102 and an exit end 104 connected to vertical support pipe 36 in communication with the atomizers and deodorizer. A solenoid 32 is mounted on top of air valve 30 and is adapted to open or close the valve 30 to open or shut off the flow of air to air pipe 92, the solenoid 32 being actuated by an electrical humidistat 34, FIGS. 2, 8, the humidistat being connected to a source of electricity by plug 106.

Humidistat 34 has a dial 35 which may be set to a particular humidity desired indicated by numerals on the dial, the humidistat being operatively connected to the solenoid to actuate the solenoid 32 responsive to changes in humidity within the space in which the humidistat operates. When the humidity within the space in which the humidistat is positioned reaches a particular predetermined di-al setting, the humidistat actuates solenoid 32 to shut off the flow of air through valve 30; and when the humidity within the space drops below the humidity desired, the humidistat again actuates the solenoid to open valve 30 permitting a flow of air through pipe 36 to air divider or manifold 38 having three separate passageways provided to divide the flow of air, a portion of the air passing through line 108 to a first atomizer head 42 on one side of the vertical support pipe 92; another portion to a central connection 109 to deodorizer 40; and a third portion of the flow of air on the opposite side of vertical pipe 92 passing through pipe 110 to a second atomizer *head 43.

A water assembly of the various lines furnishing water to the automatic atomizers and deodorizers is vertically supported over the air conditioner tank 20, FIG. 3. A Water inlet 44 is connected at one end to a source of water, not shown, and is connected at its other end to a water valve 46 having a conventional control knob 114 to open and shut off the flow of water to water strainer 48 to clean the various water lines. A conventional T coupling 52 is provided on the water line with a water valve 118, 120 on either side of the coupling to divide the flow of water to the atomizers 42, 43 and to provide means to vary or shutoff the flow of water to a particular atomizer. Water valve 118 is connected to a flexible line or water hose 54 connected at its far end to an atomizer gun 42, water valve 120 being connected to a similar water hose 55 leading to atomizer gun 43.

Means for atomizin-g water comprises the automatic opening atomizer heads or spray guns 42 or 43, FIG. 8. Spray guns 42, 43 each have a forward nozzle 122, 123 at their forward ends, 112, 113 to atomize diverse fluids, in this instance water, and to project the water forwardly in an atomized spray. The nozzles 122, 123 are in communication with one end of an inner passageway 124, 125 adapted to be connected at its rear end 126, 127 to a source of an aeriform substanceunder pressure, in this instance pressurized air supplied through air lines 108, 110.

The atomizer guns are connected at their forward ends to a source of water from water lines 54,, 55 passing through a suitable inner water valve 128, 129 to instantaneously shut off the flow of water into the atomizer guns when the flow of air through passageway 124, 125 is stopped.

On opening of valve 30 permitting a flow of air to the atomizers, air pressure within the atomizer guns builds up to a predetermined pressure to open plungers 128, 129 to permit a flow of water to the guns, the guns being adapted so that the flow of air forwardly as indicated by the arrows in the drawings projects the water forwardly in a very fine atomized spray. The automatic atomizer heads 42, 43 have adjusting knobs 140, 142 to regulate the amount of Water and air in the atomized spray.

Deodorizer 40, FIG. 4, comprises a conventional air brush for the atomized dispensation of deodorants, chemicals, perfumes as desired dependent on the particular area in which the humidifier is utilized. Deodorizer 40, FIG. 4, is connected directly to air line 92 by means of air line 109 and air manifold 38 being positioned immediately above air manifolds 84. The deodorizer has an inner air passageway 144 leading to a jet nozzle 146 at its forward end 130 and has a liquid container.132 fixedly secured dependingly from the forward end of the deodorizer by means of a conventional screw-on cap 134 and screw-on cap connection 136.

Cap connection 136 is fastened to the forward end of the deodorizer and includes an open conduit 137 in communication with and connected at one end to a hollow tube 139 having an open lower end 138 for receipt of fluids from within the container 132, the conduit 137 being in communication with air passageway 144.

Mode of operation 0 the humidifier from rust, scale particles of dirt and other foreign matter is supplied simultaneously to the atomizer guns. The entire assembly is readily portable by reason of its support from a central base which may comprise advantageously an air conditioner tank to clean the pressurized air supplied to the system of dirt, dust, rust particles, scale and other foreign matter which might otherwise clog the air lines and the precisely balanced atomization system.

A pressurized aeriform substance, in this case air, is provided in the system from a suitable source such as an air compression tank. Since uniform atomization of water and humidification of a particular space requires a uniform supply of air at a predetermined pressure, an air line pressure regulator 26 is provided in the system to regulate the air pressure to a predetermined maximum air pressure.

An automatic air cutoff system is provided comprising an air valve 30, a solenoid 32 and a humidistat 34. The solenoid 32 opens or closes the air valve 30 in communication With the atomizer guns and deodorizer, the solenoid being actuated by the humidistat 34 responsive to changes in humidity in the space to be humidified from a predetermined level of humidity set on the humidistat dial.

The regulated pressurized air flows through air valve 30 to the atomizer guns and the deodorizer so long as the humidity in the area is below the predetermined 'humidity setting of the humidistat. The flow of air through the atomizer guns 42 and 43 opens water valve within the guns at the water entrances permitting a flow of water into the atomizer guns. The water is atomized by a flow 0 fair at the jet nozzles 122, 123 into a finally atomized spray of water which is lighter than air and readily fills the space to be humidified.

A deodorizer 40 is provided having a passageway for the flow of air through the deodorizer, the passageway being located immediately above a hollow tube projecting downwardly into a container of deodorant or other fluid. The deodorizer 40 is internally adapted so that a flow of air through the deodorizer creates a vacuum within the deodorizer passageway causing a flow of liquid from the fluid container 132 upwardly into the deodorizer Where it is atomized at jet nozzle 128 and projected into the space to be humidified.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described above, the invention should not be limited thereto since many modifications of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art. It is thus contemplated by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit of this invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An automatic spray humidifier comprising automatic opening spray means, said spray means including a plurality of spray guns in communication with a source of air under pressure to atomize water; and an air lbrush connected to said source of air and having a fluid container to contain a fluid deodorant or the like connected to said air brush by means of a hollow tubing projecting downwardly from a passage in said air brush into the fluid deodorant within said container, said tubing being in communication with said passageway to draw a flow of fluid from said container in response to a flow of airthrough said airbrush into said passageway to atomize the fluid deodorant contemporaneously with the atomization of water in said spray guns, said spray guns each having a forward nozzle means to atomize water and project said water forwardly in an atomized spray, said nozzle means being in communication with one end of an inner passageway connected at its rear end to the source of air under pressure, said spray means further including an automatic pressure controlled fluid flow means within the spray guns which operates contemporaneously with a buildup of air pressure within said spray guns to open said inner passageway to enable fluid to flow through said fluid flow means into said inner passageway from a source of water connected thereto; regulator means connected to said source of air to regulate the air pressure of said air to a predetermined maximum pressure for supplying it to said spray guns; and valve means connected between the rear end of said inner passageway and said source of air to open and shut 011 said air to said spray guns as a function of changes in humidity from a predetermined humidity value.

2. ,An automatic humidifying apparatus comprising: a base, said base having a substantially flat bottom and including a generally cylindrical air conditioner connected to a source of air under pressure to clean dirt and foreign particles from the air; an air line connected to said air conditioner; an air valve secured to said base and connected to said air line for controlling the flow of air from said air conditioner; said air valve being in communication with an air manifold; an air regulator supported by said base and connected to said air line to regulate the pressure of air passing through said air valve; a solenoid operatively mounted on said air valve to open and close said air valve; a humidistat connected to said solenoid to actuate said solenoid to open and close said air valve in response to changes in humidity from a predetermined humidity, said air valve being connected to the air manifold to supply air to a plurality of automatic atomizer guns; a first and a second atomizer gun each having a central passageway connected to the air manifold to receive air from the manifold, said atomizer guns each having an atomizer nozzle to atomize fluids, said passageway having an intermediate water valve connected to a source of water, said valve being adapted to open and close to permit a flow of water responsive to a flow of air through said passageway; fluid inlet means mounted on said base and connected to said intermediate water valve to supply water to said atomizer guns, whereby upon opening of said air valve by said solenoid a flow of air through said guns draws water simultaneously forwardly through said nozzles to form a spray of water to humidity an enclosed space; and an air deodorizer, said deodorizer comprising an automatic spray brush in communication with the air manifold, said brush having a spray nozzle to atomize liquid deodorant, said nozzle being positioned at the front end of said brush and being in communication with a forward end of an inner conduit adapted to be connected at its rear end to said air manifold, said conduit having an opening in free communication with a source of liquid deodorant under atmospheric pressure, said passageway being internally adapted to cause liquid deodorant to be drawn into said conduit when air flows through said conduit, said deodorant and air under pressure being atomized by said spray nozzle into the atmosphere.

3. A humidifier comprising: base means, said base means including inlet means for connection to a source of aeriform substance under pressure and conditioning means connected to said inlet means for removing impurities from the aeriform substance; pressure regulator means supported by said base means and connected to said conditioning means by a first fluid conduit conducting the aeriform substance from the conditioning means to the pressure regulator means; first valve means supported by said base means and connected to said pressure regulator means by a second fluid conduit for conducting the aeriform substance from the pressure regulator means to the first valve means, said first valve means being movable from a first position enabling the aeriform substance to flow through said second fluid conduit to a second position blocking the flow of the aeriform substance through said second fluid conduit; humidistat means supported by said base means and connected to said first valve means for moving said first valve means from the first position to the second position when the humidity of air in an enclosure exceeds a predetermined value, said humidistat means also being operative to move said first valve means from the second position to the first position when the humidity of the air in an enclosure is below a predetermined value; spray means supported by said base means and connected to said first valve means by a third conduit; fluid inlet means supported by said base means for connecting the humidifier to a source of fluid; a fourth conduit supported by said base means interconnecting said fluid inlet means and said spray means to conduct fluid from said fluid inlet means to said spray means; and second valve means mounted in said spray means for controlling an atomizing of fluid by said spray means, whereby the humidifier forms a unitary structure supported by said base means for regulating the humidity of the air Within an enclosure.

4. A humidifier as set forth in claim 1 further including: a second spray means supported by said base means and connected to said third conduit, said second spray means including a container of deodorant Which is atomized by the aeriform substance contemporaneously with the atomizing of the fluid.

5. Automatic humidifying apparatus comprising: a base; an air valve supported by said base, said air valve being connected to a source of air under pressure; a solenoid supported by said base and operatively connected to said air valve to open and close said air valve; a humidistat supported by said base connected to said solenoid to actuate said solenoid to open and close said air valve in re-' sponse to changes in humidity from a predetermined humidity; an air manifold connected to said air valve to distribute air from said airvalve to a plurality of atomizer guns, said plurality of atomizer guns being supported by said base and each of said atomizer guns having a central passageway connected to said air manifold, said atomizer guns each having an atomizer nozzle to entrain fluid in air; Water valve means mounted in said passageway and connected to a source of Water to control the entraining of the Water in the air as a function of the flow of air through said passageway; and a deodorizer supported by said base, said deodorizer comprising an automatic spray brush in communication with said manifold, said brush having a spray nozzle to atomize a liquid deodorant contemporaneously with an atomizing of water by said atomizer guns.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,002,905 9/1911 Dronsfield 239412 2,260,987 10/1941 DArcy et al 239-412 2,595,826 5/1952 Winks et al 239-346 2,843,425 7/1958 Paasche 239412 2,868,584 1/1959 Faust 239-412 2,913,183 11/1959 Loepsinger.

25 EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner. 

5. AUTOMATIC HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS COMPRISING: A BASE; AN AIR VALVE SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE, SAID AIR VALVE BEING CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE; A SOLENOID SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID AIR VALVE TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID AIR VALVE; A HUMIDISTAT SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE CONNECTED TO SAID SOLENOID TO ACTUATE SAID SOLENOID TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID AIR VALVE IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN HUMIDITY FROM A PREDETERMINED HUMIDITY; AN AIR MANIFOLD CONNECTED TO SAID AIR VALVE TO DISTRIBUTE AIR FROM SAID AIR VALVE TO A PLURALITY OF ATOMIZER GUNS, SAID PLURALITY OF ATOMIZER GUNS BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE AND EACH OF SAID ATOMIZER GUNS HAVING A CENTRAL PASSAGEWAY CONNECTED TO SAID AIR MANIFOLD, SAID ATOMIZER GUNS EACH HAVING AN ATOMIZER NOZZLE TO ENTRAIN FLUID IM AIR; WATER VALVE MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID PASSAGEWAY AND CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF WATER TO CONTROL THE ENTRAINING OF THE WATER IN THE AIR AS A FUNCTION OF THE FLOW OF AIR THROUGH SAID PASSAGEWAY; AND A DEODORIZER SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE, SAID DEODORIZER COMPRISING AN AUTOMATIC SPRAY BRUSH IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID MANIFOLD, SAID BRUSH HAVING A SPRAY NOZZLE TO ATOMIZE A LIQUID DEODORANT CONTEMPORANEOUSLY WITH AN ATOMIZING OF WATER BY SAID ATOMIZER GUNS. 